


The Real Suspension of Disbelief

by punk_rock_yuppie



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Asexual Character, First Kiss, Fluff, Get together fic, M/M, Minor Angst, Relationship Negotiation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-06
Updated: 2017-02-06
Packaged: 2018-09-22 08:32:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,221
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9596627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/punk_rock_yuppie/pseuds/punk_rock_yuppie
Summary: The first time Archie tries to confess his feelings to Jughead... well, Jughead thinks he'sjoking.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Русский available: [Подлинная приостановка недоверия](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12362748) by [fierce_cripple](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fierce_cripple/pseuds/fierce_cripple)



> anon on tumblr prompted "joke" for a jarchie prompt, and here's what happened. hope you like it! i definitely need to write more about these boys actually kissing, tbh.

“Ha,” the laugh is stoic and mirthless. “Good one, Arch.”

Jughead doesn’t even look up at him; he just keeps reading, thumb moving restlessly against the corner of a page as though he’s eager to read more. Which, knowing Jug, is totally true. His hat is a little askew on his head and his clothes are sleep rumpled. The morning light, warm and soft, hits his skin in a way that is practically hypnotizing. Archie can’t look away. He opens his mouth to continue—to insist he’s serious, he really does love Jughead _that_ way—but something about the tension in his best friend’s shoulders stops him.

He lets it drop, even though it makes his chest ache.

 

 

 

“Less funny the second time,” Jughead admonishes while still managing to look entirely bored with the situation. He’s on his back, head propped up by the backpack full of homework they’re supposed to be doing. He’s flicking through his phone idly, and yet again isn’t even sparing Archie a glance.

“Jughead,” Archie starts. He even scoots a little closer, but aborts the movement halfway through.

“Not funny.” Jughead’s gaze flicks to him for a split second before returning to the screen.

Archie gulps down his protests and nods.

 

 

 

“It’s not a joke!” Archie hisses the words so no one else will hear. Jughead shifts uncomfortably but he doesn’t try and move away from Archie. “I’m not—I’m not pulling your leg here, Jughead. I’m serious, okay?”

“Yeah, right,” he scoffs. Jughead looks away pointedly. “Like you were so serious about Betty? About Veronica? About literally _everyone_ else you’ve ever dated?” Jughead looks back at him with a harsh, angry glint in his eyes. “I’ve been around to witness the rise and fall of _all_ your relationships, Archie Andrews. I don’t plan on being another notch on the bedpost.”

The wounded noise spills from Archie’s mouth before he can clamp down on it. “Jug—it’s not.” His mouth is suddenly too dry, his palms too clammy. “It’s not like that.”

Jughead laughs again, hollow with disbelief. “Don’t screw this up, Archie. We were just getting to a good spot again.”

Archie falls silent.

 

 

 

“Is it ‘cuz you’re asexual? Because I’ve already taken that into account.”

“Oh, have you?” Jughead snaps. He’s reading adamantly, but Archie knows he hasn’t turned the page in almost fifteen minutes.

“I just wanna know why.” The words feel wrong in his mouth, like marbles or rocks. “Not that you have to tell me,” he amends. “I just wanna know—is it an asexual thing, or a me thing, or a you thing…”

“I think ‘an asexual thing’ would also be a ‘me thing.’” Jughead replies quietly.

“Yeah,” Archie agrees readily.

Jughead sighs and lets his book fall shut with a snap. “I don’t know what you want me to say.” He doesn’t move to face Archie and instead stares resolutely at the closet door across from him. He draws his knees up to his chest and wraps his arms around his legs. “I don’t want sex.”

“I know,” Archie is quick to say. He leans over the edge of the bed to get closer. “I know that, and I’m okay with that.”

Jughead raises an eyebrow. “Really?”

“Really.”

“So, when you’re hard and horny and I want nothing to do with you, you’re not gonna act like I’ve wounded your tender ego or something?”

Archie pauses. “It might take some adjusting, but I know it’s what would happen. It’s—I’m not expecting you to be someone you’re not, Juggie.” It’s maybe a low blow, but it’s worth it to catch the blush high on Jughead’s cheeks. “I want to be with you, and tell you I love you, and take you on dates. It’s really not even that much different than where we’re at now.”

“So why change it?”

Archie sinks off the bed and to the floor, sits beside Jughead. They aren’t quite touching, but they’re close. Closer than they’ve been since Archie first tried to admit his feelings.

“I…” Archie shrugs. “I don’t have a good answer for that really.” He stares at his hands in his lap, fidgets and twiddles his thumbs. “Uh, I guess, to quote the Beatles…”

Jughead laughs, quick and short. “Don’t.”

Archie grins. “I wanna hold your hand,” he half sings-half speaks. “That’s a big part of it. I want to walk through school holding your hand, Jug. And, I want to take you to the dances, and out to dinner, and the movies. And maybe, if you’re okay with it, I’d like to kiss you at the end of the night.”

Jughead finally looks over at him with an expression entirely blank.

“On the cheek,” Archie amends.

Jughead ducks his head and laughs. “On the lips could be okay, sometimes.”

“Yeah?”

Jughead nods without looking up. “I have no idea how to do this.”

“I still want to try.”

Jughead scoots closer this time and holds his left hand out, palm up. He waits until Archie takes his hand to speak again. “Promise we can stay friends after this, if it doesn’t work out?”

“Duh,” Archie replies.

Jughead nods like his mind is made up, keeps nodding until Archie reaches out to stop him.

“You’re really okay with this?” Archie asks as he lets his touch fall from Jughead’s chin.

“I am.” Jughead’s voice is confident and sure. “I’m also just scared as hell.” He squeezes Archie’s hand. “But I’m sure.” He side-eyes Archie with a grin curling at his lips. “You’re not messing with me, right?”

Archie rolls his eyes and doesn’t bother responding. “Can I kiss you?”

Jughead pales and pinks at the same time. The apples of his cheeks and the bridge of his nose flush bright with color, and his forehead and chin both lose more color than they gain. Jughead opens his mouth and licks his chapped lips—Archie wonders if he even realizes he did it, figures probably not—and finally nods once more.

“Yeah?” Archie asks again.

“Do it,” Jughead demands while leaning in. He tilts his head just a little but his eyes don’t flutter shut, he waits and stares and blushes more and more.

Archie moves slowly. He raises his free hand again to cup Jughead’s cheek and draw him closer, tilt his head a little more until they’re breathing each other in. He stays like that for a few excruciating moments, spends his time drinking in the feel and smell and _everything_ about Jughead. “Still okay?” He murmurs.

“Archie Andrews, I swear to god—!”

He muffles the rest of Jughead’s irritation by closing the miniscule gap between them. The kiss is soft, delicate, chapped lips on chapped lips and closed-mouth. It’s warm and Archie knows within a split second that he’s going to be addicted to the feeling for the rest of his life. Jughead hums, almost inquisitively, and his eyes never closer and Archie finds it odd and endearing.

They pull apart at the same time but don’t go far.

“Well?” Archie asks.

“Merits further exploration,” Jughead replies. “Slowly. At a snail’s pace. Like, a snail going uphill in the winter, covered in molasses.”

“Okay, Jug,” Archie agrees easily. “Whatever you want.”

“You’re a menace.” Jughead leans forward again anyway.

“I’m _your_ menace,” Archie counters as he meets Jughead halfway.


End file.
